The Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee (MFAC) had a busy meeting back on March 27th, moving forward with new regulations that run the gamut from commercial conch and menhaden to whitetip sharks and yellowtail flounder. But while most of the minutes were focused on commercial fisheries, there were a few that stood out as being of particular interest to recreational anglers and readers of The Fisherman.
A full-length recording of the meeting is available on the Division of Marine Fisheries’ YouTube Channel, and all meeting materials are available on the MFAC’s past meeting website. The MFAC deliberated on and ultimately approved eleven final recommendations from the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) to amend regulations for the upcoming fishing season. Subject to the final rule-making process, DMF anticipates these regulatory changes will go into effect later this spring. The following are the details of the rule changes that affect recreational anglers.
Measuring Striped Bass
The MFAC unanimously approved DMF’s recommendation to modify its definition affecting total length measurement for striped bass. The new definition will require fish be measured with the upper and lower fork of the tail squeezed together. This revised definition will apply when determining compliance with both commercial and recreational striped bass size limits. The prior rule allowed for the forked tail to either fanned out or squeezed. This raised concerns about the uneven applications of measuring methods, particularly with regards to the recreational slot limit (28 to less than 31 inches, total length).
DMF investigated this issue in 2024 and determined that while pinching the tail can add approximately 0.3 inches to the fish’s total length, fanning the tail can reduce a fish’s total length by 1.4”. Therefore, in the recreational striped bass fishery tail manipulation can change the 3-inch slot limit into a 4.7-inch slot limit primarily through tail fanning which would accommodate the retention of additional larger fish that would otherwise be protected by the maximum size. DMF is also pursuing this method of measurement be standardized coastwide by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. DMF’s recommendation on proposed rules affecting the commercial size limit and gaffing is expected at the April business meeting.
Limits for Bones & Albies
The MFAC approved (5-2-1) DMF’s recommendation to adopt a 16-inch fork length minimum size for both species and a five-fish per person possession limit (both species combined). Commercial weir fishers and commercial fishers using mechanized mackerel jigs are exempt from these possession and size limits. DMF pursued a precautionary management approach for these species given the lack of a stock assessment to inform coastwide fishery management and the growing economic and social importance of the recreational fishery for these species to anglers along our southern coast. The possession limit will constrain the development of targeted commercial fisheries and cover nearly all recreational fishing activity currently occurring—including the retention of these species for fishing derbies—while controlling additional growth in recreational retention. The minimum size represents the estimated size at maturity for both species. The exemptions accommodate historic commercial fishing activities where these species may be incidentally caught, and the realities of the fishing activities make it unduly cumbersome to actively sort and discard live bycatch.
Bans on Surfcasting for Sharks
The MFAC approved (6-1-1) DMF’s recommendation to: (1) define shore-based shark fishing as fishing with rod and reel gear from the shoreline, wade fishing, or from any structure attached to the shore—including but not limited to bridges, jetties, piers, and docks—using a metal or wire leader measuring greater than 18 inches and a hook for which the maximum distance measured between the two points inside the curve created by the hook exceeds 5/8 inch when measured straight across from the point to the shank (i.e., hook gap); (2) prohibit shore-based shark angling along Cape Cod Bay beginning at the northern-most point of Plymouth Beach around the Outer Cape including Chatham Harbor and all of Monomoy Island; (3) prohibit chumming when shore-based shark fishing throughout the Commonwealth from sunrise to sunset; and (4) prohibit the use of mechanized and remote controlled devices to deploy baits when fishing with rod and reel gear. The primary purpose of these rules is to constrain the growth of shore-based shark fishing in Massachusetts that targets white sharks, thereby preventing significant public safety concerns. By applying the mechanized and remote-controlled device rule more broadly to rod and reel fishery there is an ancillary benefit of limiting the expansion of the gear into other fisheries, such as striped bass, where its application could result in longer fight times and increased post-release mortality.
Sea Bass Season Approved
The MFAC unanimously approved DMF’s recommendation to adopt an open recreational black sea bass season of May 17 to September 1. This replaces last year’s May 18 – September 3 season in order to maintain a Saturday opening date.
